Unlucky number

Patrick Laverty

In the first round of Golden West League play, when Costa Mesa High

lost to defending boys basketball champion Ocean View by five points,

Tony Krikorian made seven three-pointers.

On Thursday, in a rematch at Costa Mesa High, the Mustangs made

just seven field goals.

As a result, the Seahawks’ margin of victory climbed dramatically

and Ocean View remained undefeated in league play with a 68-27

shellacking of Costa Mesa.

“They’ve won, I think, 63 league games in a row,” Costa Mesa Coach

Bob Serven said. “There’s a reason for that. They’re a better team

than we are.”

The Mustangs (14-8, 5-3) were at a severe height and experience

disadvantage against the Seahawks (17-6, 8-0), who start four

seniors. Among the team’s starters, Ocean View held at least a

three-inch height advantage at every position and didn’t start a

player shorter than 6-foot-3. Included in Mesa’s starting lineup are

5-6 sophomore Brian Molina, 5-7 sophomore Tony Krikorian and 6-foot

sophomore Scott Knox.

Costa Mesa has been able to overcome its height disadvantage

throughout the season because of its strong outside shooting. But the

Mustangs made just 7 of 44 shots against Ocean View (16%), and just 3 of 28 from beyond the three-point arc (11%). In the teams’ previous

meeting, Krikorian was 7 of 7 from three-point range.

“Tonight we made seven shots total,” Serven said. “You can’t win a

game making seven baskets. You can’t beat Ocean View making seven

baskets. They’re a bigger, stronger, faster team at every spot and

they’re playing great basketball right now.”

Costa Mesa’s archrival Estancia can second that. The Eagles, like

Mesa, played Ocean View tight in the first round of league, falling

by six. Earlier this week, the Eagles lost, 84-53, to the Seahawks.

Ocean View broke open a close game late in the first quarter,

going on a 9-0 run to open a 17-7 lead.

The Mustangs had opportunities for their own spurt after beginning

the game with a three-pointer from Knox and a layin by Molina, but

three straight steals by Jeff Waldron midway through the quarter

resulted in zero points. Waldron finished with six steals, to go

along with seven points and six rebounds, but none of them were

turned into points.

Knox, averaging 16.2 points entering the game, didn’t score again

after his three-pointer opened the game’s scoring. He was guarded

throughout the night by 6-4 senior Matt Sargeant, who will attend

Princeton next season and limited Knox to his lowest output of the

season. In two games against Ocean View and Sargeant this season,

Knox has scored just 10 points.

Without Knox able to get on track, the Mustangs’ offense

struggled. Brian Molina led Mesa with 11 points.

The closest Mesa came in the second half to making it a ballgame

was 29-17 after Tony Krikorian made a three-pointer with 6:34

remaining in the third quarter. But the Mustangs didn’t score again

in the period and Ocean View went on an 18-0 run.

Twelve of Mesa’s 13 shots in the third quarter were

three-pointers, with Krikorian’s shot the only one to fall.

“It’s too many [three-pointers], but it’s all we could get,”

Serven said.

The Seahawks got balanced scoring, with 13 different players

finding the hoop. Bear Wurts, a 6-6 senior, finished with 11 points

and nine rebounds. Greg Okwudibonye, a 6-3 senior, added 10 points,

all in the third quarter, and Nick Kosearas came off the bench to

score 10 points.

Sargeant, the Seahawks’ leading scorer, finished with six.

“That was just a thorough butt-kicking,” Serven said.

*--*

Golden West League

Ocean View 68, Costa Mesa 27

Score by Quarters

Ocean View 17 11 19 21 -- 68

Costa Mesa 7 6 4 10 -- 27

Ocean View -- Okwudibonye 10, Sweezy 2,

Sargeant 6, Amberry 6, Wurts 11, Leahy 2,

Griener 0, Lusk 2, Kosearas 10, Mguerian 3,

Sheran 0, Hynes 2, Ike 8, Lee 4, Roth 2,

Ishimoto 0. 3-pt. goals -- Okwudibonye 2,

Mguerian 1, Ike 2. Fouled out -- None.

Technicals -- None. Costa Mesa -- Molina 11,

Knox 3, Krikorian 3, Waldron 7, Stankovic 3,

Gandia 0, Wase 0, Aleson 0, Lefebvre 0. 3-pt.

goals -- Knox 1, Krikorian 1, Waldron 1.

Fouled out -- None. Technicals -- None.

*--*